The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover after the close together departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash at home endured by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this season too.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to number five. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Now, the team appear to be vulnerable at home.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to do well abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The review also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
